Next Trip, Rajasthan

Shekhawat shares his tour plans from the Club this morning

Monthi distributes sweets with Bhaswati after announcement

On this day, last week, Shekhawat was somewhere in Darjeeling, monkey cap on, shivering from top to bottom. Unable to bear the intense cold, he was counting every minute to boarding his flight to Mumbai the following day. Not even a week has passed since and he is already talking about a trip to Rajasthan in October!
“One of the reasons of our success in the Gangtok-Darjeeling trip (see slideshow in the panel alongside) is that we had started planning six months in advance,” he said this morning. “So why not start working on a trip for the Dussehra-Diwali holidays from now itself? Rajasthan is a good idea, if we take in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur… even Ajmer Sharif. Just think about it.”
Shekhawat is planning a “foreign trip” also, just that he isn’t sure yet about the destination or of the members having passports. “Those who do not hold valid passports, please have them ready,” he said. “Next year we shall surely take a trip overseas, even if it has to be Patayya. But before that, I would like to include a short trip to Mahabaleshwar-Panchgani also. For all this, we need to start preparing from now itself.”
In a related development, Monthi Serrao came up with “a good news” – that she has started a travel business, Silverline Travels with Bhaswati Bose as her partner. “Before Gangtok and Darjeeling, we took out a tour to Aurangabad – Ajanta and Ellora,” she informed, distributing her cards. “We have another big one lined up for Goa in May and one for the North East, later in the year. But that is all outside of Big Laaf. All I ask of you is your blessings and good wishes.”
The response was enthusiastic with many like Nahid Siddiqui and Zarina Khan requesting her to keep them updated on the trips she would be organizing in future. Monthi assured them that she could organize ‘customized tours’ as well, provided there were at least 10 people in the group. And these would be at rates unbeatable by any other travel agency in the business.
Well, she has already proved that for Gangtok-Darjeeling.
Kiran Prakash:
I wish Monthi and Bhaswati all the best on Silverline Tours & Travels. May their endeavour succeed and they become a force to reckon with in a not-too-distant future. Our best wishes are with both of them. Considering Shekhawat's excellent track record in organising group tours, he will be happy to be their 'Honorary Marg Darshak'.
Harish Wadhwa:
Good luck to the Monthi-Bhaswati duo for Silverline Travels. May you travel far and wide and also enjoy the trips with friends. The Darjeeling PP is wonderful. Wow what a place to be in. I am so tempted to visit with friends and family but for the bloody worldly compulsions -- work, school, no holidays, lethargy...
Monthi Serrao and Bhaswati Bose:
Thank you Kiran-ji and Harish for your good wishes. We would like to thank all members of Big Laaf for their encouragement and whole-hearted support to us. And yes, Kiran-ji, for all club picnics we shall always look up to Shekhawat-ji for guidance.